A
Poppin' Good Idea

Seasoning
Tips for Air-Popped Popcorn

If
you've tried eating air-popped popcorn to cut back on salt and fat, but
it tastes pretty bland, here are some speedy tips to spice it up ...

After popping
your corn, put it in a large bowl where the popcorn is a couple of inches
below the rim so you can mix the corn and seasonings without spills over
the side. Spray your corn lightly with a butter-flavored cooking spray.
Add seasonings and mix thoroughly until all kernels are coated. NOTE:
It's the spray that makes the spices stick to the corn in the absence
of fat.

Some
seasoning ideas:

Sugar/cinnamon
mixture. Mix sugar and cinnamon together using a ratio of about
2 teaspoons cinnamon per 1/3 cup sugar. Store any extra mixture in
a covered container to keep moisture out and prevent sugar from hardening.

Sugar/Chinese 5 spice powder mixture.
Use the same ratio as in number 1 for cinnamon and sugar.

Experiment
with saltless seasoning blends. Check out the various seasoning
blends available at your grocery store or favorite Internet spice
site.

NOTE:
The National Popcorn Board recommends AGAINST storing popcorn in the refrigerator.
The kernels are more likely to dry out in the refrigerator and do not pop
as well. It's the water inside a popcorn kernel that expands when the popcorn
is heated, causing the kernel to explode or "pop."

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For
more informationabout
preparing healthy meals, contact your local University of Nebraska Cooperative
Extension Office; for the location of the office nearest you, click
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United States, click
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